Abstract
Asteroid impacts are destructive and low-probability threats to the Earth. The numerical simulation is considered an applicable analysis tool in asteroid deflection programs. As a novel shock-capturing strategy, the space–time conservation element and solution element (CESE) method can reliably predict shock waves and mechanical behaviors under high pressure and large strain conditions. In this paper, based on an elastoplastic flow model and an updated CESE scheme, the laboratory-scale iron asteroid impacts are modeled numerically, and the multi-material boundary treatment and the interface tracing strategy are introduced. Under hypervelocity impacts of the projectile to the iron asteroid target, the construction and realization of morphologies of impact craters and the implantation of projectile material into the target are numerically calculated. Numerical results show that the crater diameter and depth increase with increasing impact velocity and with increasing temperature, which softens the target. Computational results are compared with experimental observations available in the open literature, and good agreement is found. Therefore, the CESE method is successfully extended for capturing the key features of laboratory-scale hypervelocity asteroid impacts.
Highlights
Asteroid impacts with the Earth are evidenced by several impact craters around the world
With the use of the elastoplastic flow model and the conservation element and solution element (CESE) scheme, we numerically simulate the laboratory-scale iron asteroid impacts and characterize the crater morphology generated by stress waves, which are dependent on the yield criterion, the strain model, and the equation of state
Numerical results show that the crater diameter and depth increase with increasing impact velocity and with increasing temperature, which thermally softens the target
Summary
Asteroid impacts with the Earth are evidenced by several impact craters around the world. Asteroid impacts at a hypervelocity involve complex physics of flows, such as large deformation and phase changes.. Transition from the solid phase to the fluid phase can be described by an elastoplastic flow model, which can be formulated with compressible fluid Euler equations with the solid constitutive involved Both local and global physics conservations are important for simulating shock waves triggered by hypervelocity impacts.. The novel CESE method has never been utilized to solve the laboratory-scale asteroid impacts including complex elastoplastic flows with solid features. We demonstrate advantages of the CESE scheme, the hybrid particle level-set function, and the multi-material treatment for modeling hypervelocity laboratory-scale asteroid impacts. The potential is found of what can be accomplished for extending the CESE scheme and the elastoplastic flow model to the laboratory-scale asteroid-impact computational physics
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
